Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1887-02-25
AETTY's BABY
by HARRIET LANE WALLACE.

upon the kitchen table, thereby scat
tering dozen or more rosy checked
apples upon the floor.
Mrs. Trotwood had quite forgotten
that she was deacon's wife when she
lost her temper In the midst OF making
apple dumplings for the good mans
supper.
"But, auntie, l love him." was the
apology given, while a soft blush rose
to the girls face.
"Love himp Fiddlesticksl Don't
talk to me about lovev' And again
Mrs. Trotwood's gray eyes flashed dis
approval.
Tall, thin, hard. featured, the dea-
cons wife was woman from whom
little mercy could be expected; still,
within her heart this childless woman
built shrine, the idol of which was
Hetty, the child of her dead sister.
Her life had one object in view-to see
Hetty a great lady. She gave the girl
the advantages of good education.
Her wardrobe far outshone that of the
neighboring farmers daughters. 1t
was the intentioa of Mrs. Trotwood to
make her niece heiress to her wealth,
of which she possessed goodly
amount.
Hetty was the acknowledged belle
for miles around. Never was there q
gathering of young folks without her
presence, and many country swain
would have sacrificed considerable for
smile of encouragement. She was
the apple Of the old deacon's eye.
'Mother," he would say to his good
wife, II must send little Hetty "a
brother Johns in the city, or else she
will be falling in love with some great,
hulking, country fellow, not half good
enough for her,"
"Nonsense'' would his wife reply
"The child never dreams OF such q
thing"
But the child did fall in love, and
with none other than the student oil
the village doctor, handsome, good
hearted, penniless Dick Barry; and
this falling in love was the cause OF
Mrs. Trotwood's burst of indignation,
"To think of itr' she would say
"Our Hetty marrying this pennies
youth"
The old lsdy's fondest hopes, al
her air castles, would be completely
cast to the earth should this marriage
ever take place.
The apple dumping proved a fail
ure. The deacon and his wife ate
their meal in silence. Hetty was moi
present. She was having good cry
down by the garden gate. Very lovely
she looked in the dim twilight, in q
dress of soft texture clinging ia grace
full folds to round, shapely figure,
Was it any wonder that Dick Barry
lost his heart to herr The young man
who had resolved never to take unto
himself q wife until he had attained
the dignity of M. D., and made hi
marx in the world, forgot his firm res
olution.
He was coming up the long country
road, whistHng merry tune. He NE
his lady love with kiss.
20 Dickp' sobbed Hetty. "Aun,
Hepsy says can never, never marry
youl" And she cried as If her hear
would break.
Poor Dick tried to console her al
best he could, departing, at length, re
assured OF the girls love and conf
dence. a
Hetty returned to the house, wrote
a dainty little note, left it on the dea
cons desk, and kissed the old couple
so fondly that they began to think
they were unjust in their accusations,
that the dear child would never so fal
forget them as to marry without theil
consent. But the little note found the
Following morning told Its own story
Then the country for miles around
rang with gossip: 1.-THE deacon's niece
had run away and married Dich
Barry"
Mrs. Trotwood closed her heart,
putting away the books, birds and
dainty little treasures belonging to hel
Maynard niece, never again mention
ing her name. The deacon, grown
suddenly old, missed his darling
There was no one now to get his slip
pers or kiss away his cares and trou
bles.
Many time he was tempted to pay
u visit to the little white cottage down
the road, the cottage where Dich
Barry took his bride; but the though
of his wife's wrath kept him away.
| To the young couple adversely ant
cares had come. Poverty had entered
the door, but love had never flown ou
of the window. Dick was obliged t.
give up for a time his cherished hop,
of entering his profession; he worked
| in the mill, in the evening devotinl
| his leisure hours to study. The young
wife bore with patience her cares, al
though the roses were fast leaving he
face.
| A baby came, almost unwelcome
Poverty casts a damper over all oul
ljoys. The old village doctor shool
his head, almost despairing OF the
young mothers life. Her mind wan
dered; she kept calling for Aunt Hepsy
The young husband. struggling with
pride, sent for Mrs. Trotwood, but the
old lady was determined, and refused
TO see her niece. When the white
Grape emblem of sorrow hung upor
the cottage door she was still unmoved
though she watched from behind hel
drawn curtains the village sexton carry
away the wee coffin that held Hetty's
baby. Then the country folks declared
that old Hepsy Trotwood was crle
and unjust.
Days, weeks. months, years, rolled
by without bringing reconciliation